DEA Task Force

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office continues its long term working relationship with federal law enforcement with its participation in the DEA, State and Local Task Force Programs. This allows the Sheriff’s Office to draw on the expertise of federal, state and other local law enforcement officers.

Participating State and Local Task Force Officers are deputized to perform the same functions as DEA special agents. This cooperation provides several advantages to all participating agencies such as sharing of resources, increasing investigative possibilities and extending their jurisdictional authority. The DEA State and Local Task Force Program provides a federal presence in sparsely populated areas where the DEA would not otherwise be represented. This allows for the combining of federal leverage as well as resources with the state and local agencies and their specialists to be available to the Sheriff’s Office. With this cooperation Federal, State and local officers’ investigative talents and detailed knowledge of their jurisdiction will lead to highly effective drug law enforcement investigations.

I.C.E. Task Force

The Sheriff’s Office has recently partnered with the Immigration Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) Task Force. This affiliation allows the Sheriff’s Office the ability to work closely with federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement. The officers primarily focus on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Task Force operations and are cross designated as “Customs Officers,” thus granting them the authority to enforce U.S. Customs law. These cross designated task force officers supplement I.C.E.’s investigative mission of combating narcotics smuggling, money laundering, human smuggling and trafficking, and fraud related activities to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations threatening U.S. borders.

The participation in these programs allows for the seizures of the assets of criminal organizations, and when eligible the equitable sharing of those proceeds with participating law enforcement agencies. Proceeds that can be used to enhance the crime fighting initiatives of those agencies involved.